 Poster: A snowHead
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Ski dimensions: 163 cm, 115-68-99, radius 13.3 m
Edit, 4 April 2014: I have used the skis for a total of 8 weeks skiing now, so this review I originally posted in Feb 2012 has been updated. Thank you to the various Snowheads who guided me towards the purchase of these skis, especially clarky999, rob@rar, slikedges, red 27, Spyderman and uktrailmonster. They are without a doubt the best skis I have used and I still like them a lot.
I have not had the skis tuned to 1/3, so presumably the edges are in a 1/1 state of tune straight from the factory. Despite that they perform brilliantly on anything except very hard, 'icy' snow.
Stability & precision
They come alive when you give them some speed or put some energy into them, but they are also easy to ski at low speeds and with a soft edge. N.B. I use custom-fitted All Mountain boots rather than recreational racing style boots and my boots seem to put me in a very centered position, making it extremely easy to control the skis in different ways.
High speed turns at quite silly speeds are easily achievable, despite the short length. I've never used any other skis this short that are so stable at speed, but at higher speeds I have to be constantly on the look out for any upcoming bumps (see Stiffness section below).
They feel precise, agile, versatile and have excellent stability through the turns, with no tip flap. These skis just let me ski the way I want to with almost no compromises, which is very rare for me. All the skis I used in the past felt either too long/short, too crisp/floppy, too much like hard work or too relaxing, etc - never just right. In contrast, I can ski the i.Supershape Speed in a relaxed way or more dynamically, depending on my mood.
Stiffness
They are different compared to an older pre-KERS rental version I tried for a day. Whereas the rental ski felt very stiff overall (with perhaps more edge hold) the retail ski is slightly more relaxing and versatile. The KERS technology does not mean these skis spit me out of medium radius turns in an unstable way like some powerful skis can do - the rebound feels smooth and progressive, perhaps a little too smooth for me now.
They are quite stiff skis for my weight and type of skiing, and don't have the highly damped smoothness of the standard iSupershape model, but they definitely still have some of that characteristic HEAD smoothness/damping ability. When flexed by hand, most of the length of the ski feels stiff, but there is some give at the tip. They felt like the flex softened up a little after two or three weeks skiing, which made them more relaxing to ski and better suited to me. This is the first pair of skis I've owned from new, so is the flex softening normal for skis in general?
The only downside is that they are still too stiff for me to be comfortable skiing larger moguls. My technique has to be spot-on because the skis will not absorb the bumps much at all. They are also not forgiving on the kind of small, hard bumps you commonly find on an otherwise smooth piste - I have to be correctly balanced and flex my knees to absorb the bumps properly, or be thrown off balance.
What they lack in smoothness compared to the standard iSupershape, they seem to make up for with grip. Whenever I need good speed control on the steeper sections of black slopes, these work excellently - better than any other ski I have used.
Off piste
They can be very hard work in deeper snow off-piste, which they are obviously not designed for, and in those conditions I have to keep the skis close together. As they are short, and narrow, I have to lean backwards sometimes to stop the tips from diving - I have been ejected face first a few times. In lighter, fluffier off piste snow they are more usable. In a few centimetres of piled up soft snow at the edges of pistes they feel great.
Warning for older skiers
Older skiers who do not like carrying heavy skis should beware. My older relatives, in their early 70s, think these skis are very heavy to carry. Please note, I did not force 'old' men to be my ski caddies.
In order of preference, these are the skis I tested in St. Anton and Zermatt, for at least a full day's skiing each, before buying from Edge & Wax in the UK:
2009/10 HEAD iSupershape Speed (pre-KERS) 162 cm, 116-68-99, radius 13.4 m
2010/11 Stöckli Laser SC 163 cm, 114-63-95, radius 13.5 m (significantly softer tip than iSupershape Speed)
2010/11 Stöckli Laser CX 163 cm, 116-69-100, radius 13.7 m (significantly softer flex than iSupershape Speed)
2010/11 HEAD iSupershape 165 cm, 121-66-106, radius 11.4 m (more damping than iSupershape Speed)
2010/11 Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 162 cm, 120-70-103, radius 13 m (crisp feeling, not much damping)
2010/11 Atomic D2 Vario Flex 73 167 cm, 120-73-105, radius 14 m (better for a heavier skier than me)
If anyone wants more feedback just let me know.
Me: 43 year old guy (2014)
Height: 178 cm / 5' 10"
Weight 2012: 65 kg / 143 lbs / 10 stone 3 lbs. Weight 2014: 68 kg / 150 lbs / 10 stone 10 lbs.
Fitness/stamina/strength: not much
Skier type: 2.5 (www.dinsetting.com)
Experience: 29 weeks in total. Started skiing aged 10 in 1980. For the last few years I've skied two or more weeks per year. On the scale of beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert, professional, I'd call myself an advanced recreational skier.
Skiing style: variety - short, medium and longer radius turns, using a mix of different techniques depending on conditions, terrain and mood. I do like carving and feel frustrated if I can't have a burst of speed at least a few times per day. I enjoy skiing only small moguls and generally do not seek out mogul fields. No touring. No freestyle tricks. 95% on piste, 5% lift-accessed off-piste.
Where: Les 3 Vallées mostly.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 4-04-14 14:03; edited 5 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I skies on my Head ispeed worldcups this yr in Verbier and then Davos - amazing skis and love em to bits - all thanks to a mate who recommended them.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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the other side of the coin: I have had 2 pairs of head ispeed wc. The first developed a sidewall crack without impact damage after 2 weeks, and I was given a replacement. I will say this of them, they are an easy fun ski. They have a soft even flex and can easily be bent into a much tighter radius. They do most things well.
problems: for a 'Worldcup' punter ski, there are many skis with far superior torsional stiffness (hence edge grip). On hard snow on steep pitches they just don't cut the mustard. Skis like the atomic race gs ti and the dynastar course ti are much better for holding an edge. Very disappointed with head, the pre-KERS models didn't have this issue, neither do their FIS skis. They have dumbed down there range IMO, and don't represent top performance anymore, but good easy performance none the less. Also I think the tyrolia bindings that come with head skis are awful. Yes they release in a multitude of directions and are safe, but they have so so much lateral play in them.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Please keep in mind that the title of the thread is i.Supershape Speed review. It is not about the Worldcup i.Speed, which is a different model.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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yeah, I know, the ski you reviewed is even more puntery for want of a better word. I don't mean that to be insulting, its just there are far better skis out there for more experienced skiers, although you are very light,and they obviously work well for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No offense taken skifluff. It does seem to work extremely well for my light weight, having an almost perfect balance of stiffness/versatility for piste skiing, for me. My main reason for posting the review was to help lighter recreational skiers (of a similar ability to me) to find a great piste ski.
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| skifluff wrote: |
| yeah, I know, the ski you reviewed is even more puntery for want of a better word. I don't mean that to be insulting, its just there are far better skis out there for more experienced skiers, although you are very light,and they obviously work well for you. |
name a few
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My original review above has been updated after 8 weeks skiing on them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Walter-Spitty, interesting review, being nosey but how come you went for such a stiff ski, vs something more all roundish like a Head Titan?
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FAQ
